Undersea light



Dec. 21 1926.

B. F. LEAVITT .UNDERSEA LIGHT Filed Dec. 10, 1925 y in INVENTOR B .F Lizard! WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21 1926.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LEAVITT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

UNDERSEA LIGHT.

Application filed December 10, 1925. Serial No. 74,600.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the provision of an electric light for undersea use.

An object of the invention is to provide a light of this character which will function properly at great depths under water.

A further object is to rovide a light of this character which may e readily manipulated by a diver, and which will be powerful enough to give a relatively strong illumination under water.

More s ecific objects of the invention are to provi e an undersea light including a lamp bulb of sufiicient strength to resist the high pressures encountered in submarine work, and a light in which the electr1cal connections are effectively insulated and sealed against leakage of water which might cause a short circuit.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an undersea light of simple, practical construction, which will be rugged and durable in use, and which may be manufactured with comparative economy.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of arts, as will be more fully hereinafter set orth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection. with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view mainly in vertical section through a light embodying the invention, part of the lamp, bulb vation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of one of the packing glands.

In the drawin s I have used the reference character to designate an approximately globular body in the nature of a metallic casting. This body is formed with an approximately flat under face 11 from which depends an externally threaded annular flange 12. Within the flange there is pro vided a sloping seat or shoulder 13 communicating with a socket 14 adapted to receive the neck 15 of an electric lamp bulb 17. In order to withstand the relatively great water pressures to which the light is subjected in submarine work, the lamp bulb is formed of glass of substantial thickness, accurately blown so that the head of the bulb will be view on eing shown in elespherical, and will oppose a maximum resistance to the crushing pressures of the water.

The neck of the lamp is encircled by a rubber sleeve 17, fitting snugly within the socket, and packing 18 is pressed against the shoulder 13 by packing gland 19 urged in- \vardly by a cap member 20 threaded on the flange 12. The packing gland and the cap 20 snugly embrace the rubber sleeve 17, com pressing it against the neck of the lamp, and coacting with the packing 18 to prevent leakage of water into the socket 14 from the lower end thereof.

A reduced bore 21 communicating with the socket 14, is enlarged as at 22and shouldered at 23 to provide a seat for additional packing 24, retained in place by packing gland 25.

The packing gland 25 is illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be noted that it includes an exterior flange 26 adapted to seat on a shoulder 27 at the outer end of an exteriorly threaded nipple 28 arranged at the upper end of the body 10, in alignment with the nipple 12. Above the shoulder, the gland 25 1s exteriorly threaded as at 29, and above the threaded portion is tapered as at 30 and split as at 31, so that upon the application of an internally tapered threaded cap 32, the upper end of the gland will be circumferentially contracted to snugly embrace a tubular wire carrying element 33 fittin within the gland 25 and within the reduced bore 21 of the body.

Before the cap 30 is applied, a collar 34 is screwed on the nipple 28, said collar engaging with the flange 26 to force the packing gland 25 home.

The lead wires 36 for the lamp are preferably run in a suitable cable 37, passing through the tubular wire carrying element 33, this element being snugly embraced by the reduced end 17 of the rubber sleeve 17. A radial passageway 38 communicatin with the socket 14 and closed by threadef plu 39, permits wax or other sealing materia 40 to be poured into the socket in a liquid state, and to firmly set about the rubber sleeve. It is to be noted that this sleeve embraces and protects the terminal clips 41 which connect the cable to the lamp fila ment. The latter is embedded in asbestos 43, the tubular asbestos ortion 43 being secured in place in the nec of the lamp.

By virtue of the above described construction, it will be evident that the light source 42 is efficiently sealed against leakage of water which might short circuit the filaments, the lead wires or the clips. Thus the lamp may be used at relatively great depths in submarine work, and may be carelessly handled by a diver without any danger of starting a. leak which would short circuit the device.

It will of course be understood that various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described, without departing from the invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an undersea light, a body portion having a socket therein and having a passage therein for lead wires communicating with the socket, a lamp bulb including a neck sealed in the socket, and lead wires for the lamp sealed in the passageway, and a sealing compound molded in the space between the neck of the lamp and the passageway.

2. In an undersea light, a body portion having a socket therein and having a pas sage therein for lead wires communicating with the socket, a lamp bulb including a neck sealed in the socket, and lead wires for the lamp sealed in the passageway, clips connecting the lead wires with the lamp filament, and a rubber packing sleeve around the neck of the lamp housing the clips.

3. In an undersea light, a body portion having a socket therein and having a passage therein ior lead wires communicating with the socket, a lamp bulb including a neck sealed in the socket, and lead wires for the lamp sealed in the passageway, said lead wires being held within a tubular carrier, said passageway being shouldered for the reception of packing, and a packing gland urged inwardly against the packing and retaining the lead wire carrier in position.

4. In an undersea light, a body portion having a socket therein and having a passage therein for lead wires communicating with the socket, a lamp bulb including a neck sealed in the socket, and lead wires for the lamp sealed in the passageway, said lead wires being held .within a tubular carrier, said passageway being shouldered for the reception of packing, and a packing gland urged inwardly against the packing and retaining the lead wire carrier in position, said packing gland being contractible to embrace the lead wire carrier, and means for contracting said gland.

5. In an undersea light, an approximate- 1y globular body portion having a socket. therein, a lamp bulb including a neck portion disposed within the socket, a rubber packing sleeve around the neck, said socket portion being shouldered for the reception of packing, a packing gland working against the packing, and a collar having threaded engagement with the body, urging the packing gland into home position.

6. In an undersea light, an approximately globular body portion having a socket therein, a lamp bulb including a neck portion disposed within the socket a rubber packing sleeve around the neck, said socket portion being shouldered for the reception of packing, a packing gland working against the packing, and a collar having threaded engagement with the body, urging the packing gland into home position, said packing gland and collar snugly embracing the neck of the lamp and clamping the rubber sleeve tightly thereagainst. Y

7. In an undersea light, an approximately globular body portion having a socket therein, a lamp bulb including a neck portion disposed within the socket, a rubber packing sleeve around the neck, said socket portion being shouldered for the reception of packing, a packing gland working against the packing, and a collar having threaded engageinent with the body, urging the packing gland into home position, the neck of the lamp being tilled with asbestos through which the filaments are passed.

8. In an undersea light, an approximately globular body portion having a socket therein, a lamp bulb including a neck portion disposed within the socket, a rubber packing sleeve around the neck, said socket portion being shouldered for the reception of packing, a packing gland working against the packing, and a collar having threaded engagement with the body, urging the packing gland into home position, the neck of the lamp being lilled with asbestos through which the filaments are passed, clips at the ends of the filaments housed within the rub ber sleeve, and sealing material molded in the inner end of the socket around the rubber sleeve.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LEAVITT. 

